Stop mechanism for phonographs



S. SHELLY.

STOP MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.5,1916.

1,395,017, Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

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:2 8 z vhf K WWMW s. SHELLY. STOP MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-5| I916.

1,395,017, I Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

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l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I if mw s. SHELLY. I STOP MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS/ APPLICATION FILED APR- 5,19%.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

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l I l 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL SHELLY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS A. EDISON, INCORPORATED, 015' WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF N EW JERSEY.

, STOP MECHANISM FOR 'PHONOGRAPHS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Application filed April 5, 1916. Serial No. 89,009.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL SHELLY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stop Mechanism for Phonographs, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to phonographs and more especially to improved stop mechanisms for phonographs; and while particularly designed for application to phonographs of the type in which a reproducer having a floating weight is employed and which is adapted to play records of the hill and dale type, many of the features of my invention are also applicable to other types of p'honographs or talking machines.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved phonograph stop mechanism which will be rendered operative iminediately upon the completion of the tracking of the record groove of any sound record on a phonograph to which the stop mechanism is applied and preferably without involving the necessity ofadjusting or setting the same for records with grooves of different lengths.

Another object of my invention is to provide a phonograph of the type employing a sound box or reproducer having relatively mova le parts, with a stop mechanism of this character which will be rendered operaive whenever in the operation of the phonograph, said parts are moved to or assume a predetermined relative position or prede terminet relative positions.

My invention also contemplates an improved arrangement of parts whereby the stop mechanism may be rendered inopera tive to thereby effect the starting of the phonograph mechanism by movement of the sound box in a given direction.

Other features of my invention reside in the details'of construction and combinations of elements hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be more 0 early understood, attention is directed to tie'drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, in the several views of which corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters, and in which? I igure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a phonograph equipped with a stop mechanism in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, the cabinet of the phonograph being shown in section and the record support being partly broken away;

' ig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 4. is an enlarged view in side elevation of the small end portion of the horn and the reproducer carried thereby, illustrating a slightly modified construction for controlling the tripping or releasing circuit;

, lug. 5 is an enlarged fragmental view looking from the left in Fig. 4;

ig. 6 is aview similar to Fig. 2 showing a phonograph provided with a modified form of my invention;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view shown in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged partly diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 6 and 7, parts being broken away.

Referring to the drawings and especially to Figs. 1 to 5 thereof, reference character 1 represents the cabinet of a well known type of phonograph in the upper portion of which a horizontal top plate or support 2 is suitably secured .to brackets 3 fixed to the walls of the cabinet. A horizontal record support or turn-table 4, having a depending circumferential flange 4', is suitably mounted above the top plate 2 on a vertical shaft 5 to rotate therewith. The shaft 5 extends downwardly throughthe top plate 2 and is adapted tobe actuated to rotate the support l and the record 6 thereon by means of a suitable :motor (not shown) usually located just beneath the top plate 2. Reference character 7 represents the horn or amplifier of the phonograph, which is secured at its exit end, as by means of brackets 9, to a vertical rod 8 located adjacent the front of the cabinet 1. The horn 7 extends rearwardly from the rod 8 below the top plate 2, then upwardly past the top plate and record support 4., and then forwardly above the record support. A reproducer or sound box 10 is removably and rigidly secured tothe small end of the horn 7 in a position above the record support 4, by any suitable means 7'. The vertical rod 8 by which the horn 7 and reproducer 10 are entirely supported, is

of the apparatus pivotally mounted in suitable bearingsin the top plate 2 and a horizontal partition 37 in the cabinet, and constitutes means whereby the horn and reproducer are mounted for swinging movement above a vertical axis to permit movement of the reproducer 10 across the record 6. The rod 8 is also movable longitudinally in its bearings to thereby effect bodily vertical movement of the horn and reproducer 10 into and out of operative position with respect to the record support 4 and the record 6 thereon. The longitudinal or vertical movement of the rod 8 in its bearings to effect the raising and lowering of the horn and reproducer, is controlled by a member 17 pivoted at 18 to the upper end portion of the rod which projects above the top plate 2. A member 20 in the form of a thin flat plate is slidably but nonrotatably mounted on the rod 8 between member 17 and the top plate 2. The member 17 bears on plate 20, and the latter accordingly serves to transmit the weight of the rod 8 and the parts carried thereby tothe top plate 2., Member 20 is provided with a portion or finger projecting toward the turn-table 4, and the function of which will be hereinafter described. The member 17 comprises a handle and cam portions 19 secured to said handle and engaging the member 20. When thehandle of member 17 is in a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, flat surfaces of the cam portions 19 engage the member 20 to support the rod 8, horn 7, and the reproducer 10 in their lowermost posit-ion. Upon turning member 17 about pivot 18 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to a position at right angles thereto, curved surfaces of cam portions 19 coact with the member 20 to move the rod 8, horn 7, and reproducer 10 to and support the same in their raised or uppermost position. When the horn 7 is in its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 2, and the motor is operating, the reproducer is in operative position with the stylus thereof tracking the groove of record 6, and suitable feeding mechanism (not shown) is operative to turn the horn about the axis of the vertical rod 8 so as to move the reproducer across the record 6 toward the center thereof, at substantially the same rate as the record groove feeds the stylus across the record. When the rod 8 and horn 7 are moved to their raised or uppermost position by means of member 17, the reproducer 10 is carried to inoperative position with respect to the record and the feeding mechanism for moving the reproducer across the record is rendered inoperative, in a manner well known.

The reproducer or sound. box 10 is provided with a floating weight 11 which is supported at its rear end by means of a flat spring 12 from a member or block 13, said member or block being connected to a rearwardly extending portion of the reproducer body for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The forward end of the floating'weight 11 is provided with a horizontal pin 14 which is embraced by a loop or stirrup 15 secured to the reproducer body. A stylus lever 16 is pivotally mounted on the floating weight and secured to the diaphragm of the reproducer in the usual manner. Vith this construction the floating weight 11 is capable of both horizontal and vertical movements with respect to the reproducer or sound box body to thereby compensate for the lateral and vertical irregularities in the record grooves tracked by the stylus. The sides of loop or stirrup 15 coact with pin 14 to limit the lat-' eral movement of the floating weight with respect to the reproducer body, while the bottom of the loop, which is preferably V- shaped, coacts with the pin 14 to center and support the floating weight 11 when the stylus f the reproducer is out of engagement with the record, as for example, when the reproducer is in its raised or uppermost position.

NVhen the parts of a phonograph constructed as above described are in proper operative position, as shown in Fig. 2, and the stylus is tracking the groove of the record 6, the pin 14 carried by the floating weight 11 usually occupies a substantially central position within the loop 15, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 5, and moves from such position only in accordance with the very slight movements of the floating weight 11 in compensating for the lateral and vertical irregularities in the record groove. The arrangement of the parts is such, however, that when the stylus leaves the innermost convolution of the record groove, the resultant of the force which sustains or supports the stylus from the reproducer body and of the friction between the stylus and the record surface will effect a sudden lateral movement of the floating weight 11 with respect to the reproducer body about the axis of its pivotal connection 13 toward the center of the record. This resultant force is preferably suflicient to bring pin 14 into engagement with one of the vertical legs of the loop15, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and the movement of the stylus effected thereby is toward a position in which a line connecting the stylus and the axis of the pivotal connection'between the floating weight 11 and the body of the reproducer, will occupy a tangential position with respect to a circular element .of the record surface. Preferably, the component of the friction between the stylus and the 7 record surface which forms a part of such resultant force, is alone suflicient to effect these movements of the stylus and the pin 14 as the stylus leaves th innermost convolution of the record groove. The sudden lateral movement of the floating weight 11 thus effected as the stylus leaves the record groove is preferably utilized for controlling the brake mechanism of the phonograph.

The brake mechanism comprises a bell crank lever 21 which is pivotally mounted, as by means of a screw or pin 22 on the top plate 2 beneath the record support 4. One arm of the bell crank lever is provided with a brake 23 adapted to engage the inner surface of the flange 4 of the record support to arrest the latter, while the other arm 21 of this lever is adapted to be engaged by a detent 25 to lock the lever in inoperative position. A spring 24 connected at its ends respectively to the top plate 2 and lever 21, constantly tends to turn the latter about its pivot 22 to operative position. The detent 25 is formed on one arm of a lever pivoted intermediate its ends at 26 on a support 33 secured to the top plate 2. A coiled spring 27 surrounding the pivot 26 constantly tends to move the detent to operative position. Another lever 28 is mounted on the pivot 22 between the brake lever 21 and the top plate 2, and one arm thereof extends outwardly beyond the turn-table 4 and is provided at its outer end with an upstanding lug or pin 29, while the other arm thereof is provided with a pair of up standing lugs 30 embracing the arm 21 of lever 21 and a cam 31 at its inner end. The

lugs 30 are spaced so as to permit a limited pivotal movement of the lever 28 with respect to brake 21. 'When lever 28 is moved in an anti-clockwise direction, referring to Fig. 1, the lug 30 on the righthand side of the lever engages arm 21 of the brake lever 21 and moves the latter from operative position toward the position shown in Fig. 1. I the movement of the brake lever thus produced, the innerend of the arm 21 first engages and turns the detent lever about its pivot 26 against the action of spring 27, and then releases said detent lever, whereupon spring 27 moves the detent lever back to operative position and the detent 25 into locking engagement with the end of arm 21 to hold the brake lever inoperative, and permit the operation of the phonograph. The cam 31 on the inner end of lever 28 is so arranged that upon now moving the lever 28 in a clockwise direction and relative to the lever 21 as permitted by the spaced lugs 30, it will engage and move the detent 25 against the action of spring 27 to thereby release the brake lever 21 and effect the stopping of the turn-table 4. The lever 28 constitutes very simple means which is operable at will for effecting the movement of the brake to inoperative position and the locking thereof in such position and also for effecting the release of the brake.

bracket In order to effect'the releasing of the brake automatically at the completion of the tracking of the record groove, I preferably provide electrical means for tripping or releasing the detent 25. The detent lever is provided with an arm 32 on the side of pivot 26 opposite the detent 25. This arm 32 constitutes the armature of an electromagnet M mounted on the support or The bracket 33 is secured to the top plate 2 but is separated therefrom by suitable insulation 34. One terminal of the coils of magnet M is connected by means of an insulated conductor 35 with one pole of a battery 36 supported by the partition 37, while the other terminal of the coils .of the magnet is grounded to the support or bracket 33 as by means of a short insulated conductor 38. The other terminal of the battery 36 is connected by an insulated conductor 39, which extends into the horn 7, with a contact member 40 carried by but insulated from the small end portion of the horn. Member 40 extends downwardly from the horn 7 and forwardly to a position in the rear of and adjacent block 13 of the reproducer 10. The flat spring 12 of the reproducer has a portion 41 extending rearwardly beyond block 13 which constitutes a contact adapted to coact with the free end of contact member 40. The detent lever is grounded by its pivot 26 to me support or bracket 33, while the levers 21 and 28 are grounded to the top plate 2* by means of pivot 22.

lVhen the phonograph is operating with the parts thereof inproper playing position, the pin 14 of the floating weight hovers about a substantially central point within the loop or stirrup 15 and the rearward 8X tension or contact 41 of the spring 12 is maintained in spaced relation to the contact member 40 substantially in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Upon the stylus leaving the innermost convolution of the record groove, the floating weight will be suddenly moved about the axis of its pivotal connection with the sound box body, in the manner hereinbcforedescribed, toward the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. This movement of the floating weight 11 brings the contact 41 into engagement with contact member 40 and closes a circuit through magnet M over the following path: From one terminal of the battery 36 through conductor 35, coils of magnet M, conductor 38, bracket or support 33, detent 25, brake 21 and lever 28, pivot 22, top plate 2, rod 8, horn 7, the body of the reproducer 10, block 13, and spring 12 to the contact 41, and then through contact member 40 and conductor 39 to the other terminal of the battery 36. The magnet M now being energized, attracts the armature 32, and moves the detent lever about its pivot 26 against the action of.

' brake lever 21, and lever 28 are included in the tripping or releasing circuit, and accordingly said circuit is at once broken upon the tripping of the detent 25 due to the movement of the brake lever 21 and lever 28 away from the detent lever under the action.

of spring 24. Consequently, as there is but a momentary flow of current from battery 36 each time the tripping device is rendered operative, frequent renewing or recharging of the battery is rendered unnecessary.

The upwardly extending lug 29 on the outer end of lever 28 lies in the path of the inwardly extending portion or finger of the plate 20 which is mounted on and turns with the rod 8. The arrangement of the parts is such that should the automatic electrical tripping device fail to operate for any rea son, the finger of plate 20 will engage the lug 29, after the stylus has traveled. across the record support a distance beyond that required for reproducing the maximum length record groove, and move the lever 28 in a clockwise direction and relatively to the brake'lever 21, as permitted by the spaced lugs 30, to automatically effect the tripping of detent'25 and the application of the brake to arrest the phonograph mechanism. Thus I provide the phonograph with a safety stop to prevent thetracking of a portion of the record which might result in injury to the stylus or other parts of the phonograph.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a slight modification of the means for controlling the closing of the tripping or releasing circuit described above. In the construction shown in these figures, the floating Weight 11 is separated from the sound box body at its rear end by means of suitable insulation 43. The spring 12 has a rearward extension 42 which is electrically connected preferably by a slip connection, to a flexible conductor 44. The conductor 44 is secured to but insulated from the small end portion of the horn 7 and is electrically connected to the insulated conductor 39 within the horn. The lower V-shaped portion of the stirrup 15 is provided with suitable insulation 45.

stirrup 15 constitute a circuit closer for effecting the closing of the tripping circuit when the movement of the floating weight with respect to the sound box body is sufficient to bring said pin into engagement with either leg of the stirrup.

It will be apparent that the pin 14 and the loop or.

erably being dispensed with. The reproducer 10 is of practically the same construction and arrangement as'that shown in Fig. 4, the 'block 13 being separated from the reproducer body by insulation 43, and the lower V-shaped portion of the stirrup or loop 15 being covered with insulation 45. The spring 12, however, has no rearward extension-constituting one member of a circuit-closer, as in the reproducer shown in Figs. 1 to 4, but the insulated conductor 39 which is connected to one terminal of the battery 36, extends outwardly through the wall of the small end portion of the horn and is directly connected to block 13, as indicated in Fig. 6. The brake mechanism in this form of my invention, comprises a brake member 50 pivoted to the top plate beneath the turntable 4. and provided with an arm having a brake pad 51 adapted to engage the flange 4 of the turn-table to stop the latter. A spring 52 connected at its ends to the top plate and member 50 respectively, constantly tends to move the latter'to'operative position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. The brake member 50 is provided with a notch 53 adapted to be engaged and locked in inoperative position by a latch or detent 53 which is pivoted to the top plate intermediate its ends at 54. A spring 55 secured at its ends to the top plate 2 and detent 53, constantly tends to move the detent to operative position. A bell crank lever is pivoted to the top plate 2 at 56 and one arm 57 thereof constitutes an armature for the electromagnet 58, while the other arm 59 thereof coacts with a cam surface on the pivoted detent 53 to disengage the latter from notch 53- of brake member 50 and allow the, brake to operate when the arm 57 isattracted bythe magnet 58. The coils of the magnet 58 are mounted in suitable,

brackets 66 which are secured to the ton plate 2 but are insulated therefrom by suitable insulation 59. One terminal of the magnet coils is connected to the battery 36 by the insulated conductor 85, while the other terminal thereof is connected as by means of an insulated conductor 61 to a pin 60 mounted on the insulation 59. Reference character 62 represents a pin secured directly to the top plate 2, this pin being grounded to the born 7, through the top plate 2, rod 8 and brackets 9. The grounding of the pin 62 to the horn 7 is represented diagrammatically in Fig. 8 by lead 80. A fiat spring 63 is secured at one end to the pin 62 and constantly tends to assume a position in engagement with the pin 60 to close the circuit at this point. The opposite end of the spring 63 is in engagement with one end of a rod or pin 64 mounted for sliding movement in brackets 66 at one side of the coils of magnet 58, the other end of said pin 64 being in engagement with one side of SOI armature 57. The opposite side of armature 57 is in en agement with an arm 65 with which the brake member 50 is provided. In the normal operation of the phonograph in playing a record, the pin 14 of the floating weight 11 occupies a substantially central position within the stirrup or loop 15, and the brake member 50 and the parts cooperating therewith are in the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 8. lVhen the pin 14 is carried into engagement with one leg of the stirrup or loop 15 by the movement of the floating weight about its pivotal connection with the reproducer body, as the stylus leaves the innermost convolution of the record groove, a circuit is completed over the following path: from one pole or terminal of battery 36, through conductor 85, coils of magnet 58, conductor 61, pin 60, spring 63, pin 62, top plate 2, rod 8, horn 7, and the reproducer body to the stirrup 15, then through pin 1%, floating weight l1, spring 12, block 13, and conductor 39, back to the other pole or terminal of the battery 36. The magnet 58" being now energized, attracts armature 57 and moves the bell crank lever of which the armature constitutes a part, about pivot 56. In this movement of the bell crank lever, the arm 59 thereof turns the detent 53 about pivot 54 against the action of spring 55, to disengage the same from notch 58 of the brake member 50, whereupon spring 52 moves the brake member 50 to operative position and thereby effects the stopping of the turn-table 4:. The armature 57 in moving to operative position, movesthe rod 64 longitudinally in brackets 66, and thereby moves the spring 63 away from pin 60 to'the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, and breaks the tripping or releasing circuit. Consequently, this circuit will be broken immediatelyupon the releasing of the brake member 50 and there will be but a momentary flow of current from the battery 36 each time the electrical tripping device is rendered operative. In the movement of brake member 50 to operative position, the arm 65 thereof moves to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, and maintains the armature 57 and thereby the rod 64: in such position as to hold the spring 63 out of contact with pin 60 until the brake member 50 is moved from operative position to effect the starting of the phonograph mechanism.

If desired, a very Weak spring 67 secured to the sound box body at one end and having an insulated portion 68 at its opposite end bearing against one side of the floating weight 11, may be employed as a means for assisting in shifting the floating weight 11 about its pivotal connection to insure the closing of the tripping or releasing circuit as the stylus leaves the innermost convolution of the record groove. I have found,

however, that my invention operates satisfactorily without this spring.

I provide means whereby the brake member 50 may be moved to inoperative position and locked in such position to effect the starting of the phonograph mechanism which is preferably so arranged as to be operated in the movement of the reproducer across the record support away from the center of the record toward the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. This means preferably consists of a bar 69 connected at one end by a pivot '70 to the brake member 50 and extending outwardly beyond the turn-table 4. The bar 69 has a slot and pin connection 71 with the top plate 2 and is provided at its outer end with an upstanding lug or pin 72 which lies in the path of the sound conveyer connected to the reproducer 10 or the reproducer neck. Upon movement of the horn 7 and reproducer 10 to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7, in which the stylus is carried beyond the recorded portion of the record 6, the neck of the reproducer will engage the pin 72 and move the bar 69 outwardly. Such movement of the bar 69 will effect pivotal movement of the brake member 50 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8, and the latch 58 will thereupon be engaged by means of spring 55 in the notch 53 of the brake member 50 and lock the latter in inoperative position. The movement of the brake member 50 to inoperative position will effect turning ofthe bell crank lever about its pivot 56 in a clockwise direction. This allows the spring 63 to engage with pin 60 and move the rod-64 longitudinally in the brackets 66 to maintain said rod in engagement with the armature 57.

Due to carelessness on the part of an op erator in starting the phonograph or the like, the pin 14; of the floating weight may occasionally engage or nearly engage a of the loop or stirrup 15 before the completion of the tracking of the record groove. Under these conditions and in a phonograph not equipped with my invention, damage to the record groove and the stylus would be likely to occur, as the movement of the floating weight with respect to the reproducer body necessary to compensate for irregularities in the record groove, would be interfered with and result in the jumping of the record grooves by the stylus. WVith my invention, however, this disadvantage is obviated, due to the fact that when the pin 14 reaches a position in which it engages or nearly engages a leg of the loop or stirrup 15, the tripping circuit is automatically closed and the phonograph mechanism a1- rested.

While I have described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that the same are subject to various said brake to inoperative position to be en-' gaged by said holding means and for releasing said holding means, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, a movable member, a brake therefor, a detent for said brake, and unitary means separate from said detent for moving said brake to V a position to be engaged by said detent and for moving the detent to inoperative position, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class described, a movable member, a brake therefor, a detent for said brake, and a pivoted member movable with respect to said detent adapted when moved in one direction to move said brake to a position to be engaged by said detent and when moved in another direction to .move said detent to inoperative position substantially as described.

4:. In a device of the class described, a movable element, a pivoted spring-pressed brake therefor, a pivoted detent for holding said brake inoperative, and a pivoted member capable of'alimited pivotal movement with respect to the brake, said pivoted member being adapted when moved in one direction to effect the movement of the brake to inoperative position to be engaged-by said detent, and when moved in another direc-. tion and relatively to the brake to move the detent to inoperative position, substantially as described. e 5. In a device of the class described, a movable member, a brake therefor, means for holding said brake in inoperative position, and a member movable with respect to said holdlng means and having the double function of moving said brake to a position to be engaged by said detent and of releasing said holding means, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the class described, a movable member, a brake therefor, means for holding said brake inoperative, and a member mounted for movement with respect to said holding means adapted when moved in one direction to effect movement of the brake to a position to be engaged by said holding means and when moved in another direction to effect the releasing of said holding means, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, a movable member, abrake therefor, a detent for holding said brake inoperative, and means comprising a member capable of a limited movement with respect to said brake and mounted independently of said detent adapted when moved in one direction to effect movement of the brake to a position to be engaged by said detent and when moved inanother direction and relatively to the brake to effect movement of thedetent to inoperative position,-substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class'described, a rotatable record support, a brake mechanism therefor, a detent for holding said brake mechanism inoperative, means comprising an electric circuit including said brake mechanism and detent for controlling the latter, and means for controlling the closing of said circuit and thereby the releasing of said detent to effect the arresting of said support, the releasing of said detent effecting the breaking of said circuit between the detent and the'br ake mechanism, substan tially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 3rd day of April, 1916. V I

sAMUELsHE LY.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. Busfso, WILLIAM A. HARDY. 

